Evil Guardian

by Scott Bonn

  Bratton asks, “Interesting idea. Just what do you have in mind?”

  Pritchard says, “I am not sure about the specifics of the plan just yet, but our friends from the FBI also like the idea and I will strategize with them this afternoon. I will definitely have a plan for him by show time.”

  Bratton says, “Okay, Jimmy, it is your call. If you and the FBI believe that you can manipulate this S.O.B. and lure him into a trap, then so be it. Good luck.”

  Pritchard says, “Thank you, sir.”

  Bratton adds, “One more thing. I want to know the minute you have confirmation of the dead girl’s identity. Also, keep me posted on the results of the forensic tests on the letter and anything you get on the surveillance tape from CNN.”

  “Absolutely, sir,” says Pritchard with a nod.

  The police captain turns around and walks out of the commissioner’s office.

  Chapter Thirty Three

  At 12:47pm, James Pritchard, Julia Cassidy and FBI Special Agent Steve Redding exit One Police Plaza and climb into a waiting squad car. A patrol officer assigned to Pritchard is driving the trio to the chief medical examiner’s office to attend the autopsy of the dead teenage girl.

  With the squad car’s siren blaring, they head north on the FDR Drive. Pritchard and his associates arrive at their destination at First Avenue and Thirty-first Street in just over nine minutes.

  When Pritchard and his two colleagues enter the autopsy room, they find that Dr. Barbara Sampson is already well into the procedure.

  The chief medical examiner does not look up from her work but says, “Hello, Captain Pritchard. Here we are together, again.”

  Pritchard says, “Under the same grim circumstances, unfortunately, Doctor.”

  He asks, “What can you tell me so far?”

  Dr. Sampson says, “Well, I can tell you that this girl was murdered, and her killer was the same person who murdered Melissa Stein and the other girls. Notice the signs of strangulation around her neck, as well as the blue nylon ligatures tied around her body and the iron cross. Notice, too, that this girl has the same Bible passage carved into her lower abdomen as was discovered on Melissa Stein.”

  She continues, “There is extensive trauma and tissue damage to the vagina of the girl that indicate violent sexual assault. Her neck is broken. The absence of river water in her lungs indicates that she died before her body went into the river.”

  After a brief pause, she concludes, “All of the physical evidence here is exactly the same as we found with the guardian’s three previous victims.”

  Pritchard says, “Yes, this is clearly the work of the guardian.”

  Dr. Sampson says, “Without a doubt. I am also certain that this corpse is Eve Curry based on what I know about the missing girl. The blood type and dental records of Eve Curry match the deceased. I think you should call the girl’s parents immediately and ask them to come in for official confirmation.”

  “All right, Doctor,” says Pritchard.

  Dr. Sampson says, “There are additional forensic tests that we need to conduct on this girl’s body, and we need to do a thorough search for any trace of DNA from the perpetrator. We did not find any such evidence with the first three girls, but you never know. We could get lucky. I will let you know if we find anything as soon as our tests are completed.”

  Pritchard says, “Much appreciated, Doctor. I am going to call Mr. Curry on his cell phone right now and ask him to come in.”

  The homicide captain and his FBI associates exit the autopsy room and regroup in the hallway. Cassidy and Redding grimly watch Pritchard as the police captain pulls his cell phone from his pocket. With a stern expression on his face and a heavy heart, Pritchard calls the phone number of Bruce Curry, Eve’s father, saved on his phone.

  Moments later, Curry answers the call.

  After exchanging greetings on the phone, Pritchard says, “Mr. Curry, I am so very sorry to tell you this, but we have discovered the body of a teenage girl and we believe it is your daughter. I am so sorry. I must ask you to meet me immediately at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on First Avenue to identify the body.”

  He asks, “Can you do that, sir?”

  Pritchard nods and bites his lip as he listens to Bruce Curry cry out in terrible agony on the other end of the call. The homicide captain blinks hard, clears his throat, and then gives the address of the chief medical examiner’s office to the grieving father.

  Pritchard says, “Thank you, Mr. Curry. I will be here waiting for you. We can talk more when you arrive. Goodbye, sir.”

  Chapter Thirty Four

  After Pritchard ends his call to Eve Curry’s father, Julia Cassidy looks at him and says, “I’ve had to make a few telephone calls like that, James. I know how gut-wrenching it is to do.”

  Pritchard replies, “Yes, it is probably the worst part of being a homicide detective. Having to inform a parent that their child is gone and will never return is a horrible thing to do. It never gets any easier.”

  For several minutes, Pritchard, the two FBI agents, and the officer that drove them to the chief medical examiner’s office, all stand silently together in the hallway outside the autopsy room where Dr. Sampson is still examining the corpse.

  The loud buzzing of Cassidy’s cell phone breaks the silence in the hallway.

  She answers the phone, “Hello. Special Agent Cassidy here.”

  It is Janet Chin calling with the findings of the forensic tests on the letter from the guardian. After exchanging greetings, Chin tells Cassidy that the letter they got at CNN is a match with the first letter from the guardian. That is, the bond paper, laser jet ink and type font are identical to the first letter. As expected, there are no fingerprints on either the letter or the envelope.

  “No surprises there,” says Cassidy.

  Then she asks, “Did you get the surveillance tape and sign-in log from CNN?”

  Chin replies, “Yes. We are having a handwriting expert look at the sign-in log. As far as the surveillance tape goes, Agent Baldwin and I have looked at it a couple of times along with two NYPD criminalists, and about the only thing new I can tell you is that our guy is right-handed.”

  Cassidy asks, “So the videotape shows him signing the log with his right hand?”

  Chin replies, “That is correct. Unfortunately, the hoodie he is wearing obscures his face, and he is looking down with his back to the camera almost the whole time, so the video is not very helpful in terms of personal identification. His hoodie and pants are both dark grey. He has black gloves on his hands the whole time, too, so we are not going to get any fingerprints. I can tell you this—he is big—over six feet tall and at least two hundred pounds. He is Caucasian, clean-shaven and looks to be in good shape. Based on the way he moves and carries himself, I’d place him in his mid-thirties in terms of age.”

  “Anything else?” asks Cassidy.

  Chin says, “Not from the surveillance tape or letter. I’ll let you know if the handwriting expert can tell us anything from the sign-in log as soon as I get the report.”

  Cassidy thanks her colleague for the update and ends the call. In a very matter of fact tone, she explains to Pritchard and the others what she has just learned from her conversation with Chin.

  Cassidy assumes a more passionate tone when she adds, “This guardian sure has a set of brass balls on him. He marches right into CNN headquarters and hand delivers a letter in which he brags about his murders. His thirst for notoriety and willingness to take risks are escalating. His grandiosity is a weakness, but this bastard is also very cunning. He knew that there would be a surveillance camera in the CNN lobby when he delivered the letter, so he concealed his appearance. There is no way we can identify him from the surveillance tape. Clever prick!”

  Pritchard says, “Yes, he is a very clever son of a bitch, all right. He knows that we…”

  The homicide captain is interrupted mid-sentence by a member of Dr. Sampson’s staff who has escorted the father of Ev
e Curry into the waiting area just outside of the autopsy room.

  “Excuse me, Captain Pritchard, this is Bruce Curry,” says the female administrator.

  Pritchard extends his hand in a greeting to Curry and says, “Thank you for coming here so quickly, sir.

  Curry nods nervously and extends his own trembling hand out to Pritchard. His hand is cold and sweaty. There is a look of impending doom on his face.

  Curry breathlessly says, “My wife could not bear to come here with me.”

  Pritchard says, “I completely understand, Mr. Curry.”

  Pritchard carefully escorts Curry into the autopsy room where Dr. Sampson and an assistant are just now completing the procedure. The homicide captain makes the customary introductions.

  The dead girl’s body is lying face up with a white sheet covering her entire body except for her face. Curry approaches the corpse and immediately screams in agony. He begins to sob and wail. Pritchard asks him if the corpse is his daughter and Curry nods his head twice before dropping to his knees.

  Pritchard helps the grieving father up to his feet. Once standing, Curry composes himself slightly and asks to see the rest of his daughter’s body. Pritchard explains to Curry that it will be very difficult and unpleasant for him to look at his daughter in her present condition. The tearful father insists on seeing her anyway.

  Pritchard looks at Dr. Sampson, and the chief medical examiner removes the sheet in compliance with Curry’s request. Upon seeing the terrible state of Eve’s body, particularly the Bible verse carved into her flesh just above the groin, her father begins to sob uncontrollably again.

  Curry cries out, “What kind of monster would do this to my baby girl?”

  Pritchard puts his right hand compassionately on Curry’s shoulder and says, “Yes, he is a monster. We will stop him, sir. I promise you that. I wish that I had the words to tell you how sorry I am for your loss.”

  After a brief hesitation, Pritchard continues, “I would like to share something with you, Mr. Curry, if you don’t mind. I have also lost a teenage daughter. My daughter died three years ago in a car accident caused by a drunk driver. I can understand the agony you are feeling and the sense of loss. I know the pain is unbearable. You really should be with your wife right now. I will have one of my men drive you home.”

  Curry softly says, “Okay, thank you, Captain.”

  As they leave the autopsy room together, Pritchard says, “I promise you, Mr. Curry, that I will personally keep you posted on the search for your daughter’s killer, and I also promise you that I will not rest until he is either captured or dead.”

  Bruce Curry shakes Pritchard’s hand and then leaves with an NYPD sergeant summoned by the homicide captain to drive the grieving father home.

  After saying good-bye to Curry, Pritchard reunites with special agents Cassidy and Redding who are waiting for him in Dr. Sampson’s office along with the patrol officer that drove them to the autopsy. Pritchard’s associates have been drinking coffee and making telephone calls while waiting for him to finish with Eve’s father.

  As Pritchard enters the office, he says, “Mr. Curry understandably broke down completely when he saw his daughter’s body. He cried out like a wounded animal. It was terrible, heartbreaking, and just awful to watch.”

  In an angry tone, he continues, “I swear to God that we are going to nail this son of a bitch no matter what it takes. I want no more dead girls from the hands of this monster!”

  Cassidy says, “We’re with you, Captain. Let’s get back to work.”

  Pritchard says, “Right, but first, I need to inform the commissioner that Eve Curry’s body has been officially identified.”

  As the group heads toward the exit door of the medical examiner’s office, Pritchard calls his boss to give him an update. He tells Bratton that the new victim is definitely Eve Curry. He also tells the commissioner about the findings of the forensic tests on the guardian’s letter, surveillance tape, and the sign-in log from CNN. Bratton thanks him for the update.

  Within minutes, Pritchard and his colleagues are back in the squad car and heading south on the FDR Drive towards One Police Plaza. As they approach their destination, the homicide captain uses his cell phone to make another call. The party on the other end picks up quickly and says hello.

  Pritchard replies, “Hello, Ms. Shapiro. This is Captain James Pritchard. Please tell Anderson Cooper to expect me on the show tonight.”

  Chapter Thirty Five

  At 5:35pm, Charles Lundquist is driving south on the Saw Mill River Parkway in his red Honda Accord sedan. He is going home to his apartment in the East Village after completing his daily routine as chaplain at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. The traffic is heavy, as usual, but he normally completes the forty-five-mile commute in less than seventy minutes.

  Lundquist is listening to news radio 1010 WINS as he makes his way southeast on the parkway toward Manhattan. He enjoys keeping up to date on the news while driving, particularly about the manhunt in New York for a serial killer that the media are calling the evil guardian.

  As he drives, Lundquist is thinking back about his accomplishments at the prison this day. He smiles to himself as he thinks about the session he had with Stacey Sommers in his office this morning. He is very proud of her spiritual growth. Her presence in his life warms his heart. He was delighted to hear that she begins each day by reading a Bible that he gave her. He believes that she is almost ready for him to baptize her in the Christian faith.

  “Stacey is working so hard on her spiritual development. It is almost time for her purification. I must talk to her about it and set a date,” he says to himself.

  A 1010 WINS radio announcer suddenly interrupts Lundquist’s pleasant thoughts of Stacey. The announcer states that the officer in charge of the serial killer manhunt in New York, NYPD Homicide Captain James Pritchard, will appear tonight with Anderson Cooper on CNN at 9:00pm. The announcer further states that the homicide captain will provide breaking news on the investigation and talk with Anderson Cooper about the latest written communication he has received directly from the unknown predator.

  A faint smile appears on Lundquist’s face as he ponders what he has just heard on the radio. His heart rate escalates and he grips the steering wheel a little bit tighter. He promises himself that he will watch Anderson Cooper 360 this evening.

  “Yes, this will be something very special. I must tune in,” he says to himself.

  As Lundquist steps on the gas pedal and increases the speed of his car, it occurs to him that the guardian will also be watching James Pritchard’s interview with Anderson Cooper tonight with great interest. Lundquist smiles once again.

  Chapter Thirty Six

  It is 8:37pm and James Pritchard is sitting in the green room at CNN waiting for his appearance on Anderson Cooper 360. The show begins in less than thirty minutes. Sitting next to Pritchard is Julia Cassidy who has joined him to offer support as both a friend and colleague. They are sipping coffee and snacking on fruit, nuts and Italian cookies that are on a table in the green room for the guests of Anderson Cooper.

  Pritchard says, “Damn good cookies, Julia,” as he takes a bite.

  Ignoring the cookie comment, Cassidy replies, “You are going to do a great job with Anderson Cooper tonight, James. You are prepared with all of the facts. You know what you are going to tell the public, and you have a good strategy to bait the guardian. All in all, you are well prepared for your interview.”

  Cassidy is referring to the fact that she, Pritchard and a few of their closest associates, including Janet Chin, spent the afternoon at police headquarters helping the homicide captain to prepare for his interview with Anderson Cooper. They assembled in the guardian war room as soon as Pritchard, Cassidy and Redding returned to the office from Eve Curry’s autopsy at 3:25pm.

  During their afternoon strategy session, the team received two updates on the physical evidence in their investigation. The first was not so helpful. A handwriting ex
pert brought in by the NYPD concluded that the block style letters on the sign-in log at CNN are of little value in determining the guardian’s identity. The handwriting expert said that the guardian almost certainly used block letters to conceal his unique cursive handwriting that could identify him.

  The second piece of new evidence, however, is potentially a blockbuster in the case. Special Agent Liv Olson, an FBI criminalist who came to New York from Quantico with Cassidy and the others, discovered a trace sample of semen from deep inside the vagina of Eve Curry. Incredibly, the trace evidence survived nearly two days in the Hudson River. DNA analysis of the sample has already begun under the supervision of FBI special agent Olson.

  This incredible discovery could possibly solve the case if the semen sample matches the profile of anyone in the DNA database of forensic laboratories nationwide that participate in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Supervised by the FBI, the matching process will take a couple of days to complete.

  Pritchard and the others spent the rest of the afternoon discussing what information in their investigation is, and is not, appropriate for him to share with Anderson Cooper and the television audience. The team also spent time strategizing about how Pritchard could potentially bait the guardian and set a trap for him.

  In terms of setting a trap, Julia Cassidy suggested a ploy involving a direct assault on the killer’s considerable ego and intellectual pride. Cassidy firmly believes the guardian has received formal theological training and that he is quite prideful about his knowledge. Therefore, Cassidy deduces that an attack on his credibility and authority will likely insult his intellectual pride, which she thinks will enrage him. She believes that if the guardian is sufficiently angered, he might just make a reckless error that would expose him and lead to his capture.

  The team loved Cassidy’s proposed strategy, and they unanimously agreed that Pritchard should employ it during his interview with Anderson Cooper. The team continued to fine-tune their plan over a dinner of Chinese takeout food until Pritchard and Cassidy left for CNN just before 8:00pm.